The specialty pharmacy industry is booming and as many pharmacies opt for moving down the specialty pharmacy accreditation path, many hospitals and healthcare systems are starting to realize opening their own specialty pharmacies (or partnership with one) could be a good idea. The jump to specialty pharmacy for a health system or hospital, isn’t only a revenue driver as it gives them access but could also help with re-admissions, quality of care, and data collection. And as specialty pharmacies crop up all over the country, with an estimated 250 to be accredited by the end of 2015, it is the perfect opportunity for health systems to take fate into their own hands. From driving revenue, to increasing quality of care here are three main areas a hospital or health system can benefit in an in-house specialty pharmacy.

2016 is going to be a big year for Behavioral Health, thanks to The Excellence in Mental Health Act (ExACT) passed in 2014. the ExACT is a crucial step towards taking Behavioral healthcare off the back burner and sparking an important discussions on mental health. According to the National Council for Behavioral Health the program will “increase Americans’ access to community mental health and substance use treatment services while improving Medicaid reimbursement for these services.” The program has allocated over $1 billion to help protect and enhance community based mental health programs, which is the largest federal investment in behavioral health services in a very long time. Let’s take a look at the progress the Excellence in Mental Health Act has already made and what might be in store for 2016.

The specialty pharmacy industry is booming and as many pharmacies opt for moving down the specialty pharmacy accreditation path, many hospitals and healthcare systems are starting to realize opening their own specialty pharmacies (or partnership with one) could be a good idea. The jump to specialty pharmacy for a health system or hospital, isn’t only a revenue driver as it gives them access but could also help with re-admissions, quality of care, and data collection. And as specialty pharmacies crop up all over the country, with an estimated 250 to be accredited by the end of 2015, it is the perfect opportunity for health systems to take fate into their own hands. From driving revenue, to increasing quality of care here are three main areas a hospital or health system can benefit in an in-house specialty pharmacy.

It's the end of the week! It's time for a infographic roundup. This week we are focusing on Pharmacy. Here are 3 expertly designed and helpful infographics that focus on medication adherence, the changing role of the pharmacist in the healthcare ecosystem, and types of specialty pharmacy accreditation.

We've talked about HIPAA audits before, but today, we want to go over what a HIPAA audit can actually mean for your organization. There are both positive and negative implications for the increased security around patient health information, so let's see what exactly they are.

We all know that HIPAA risks can in many shapes and sizes. But as the workday gets busy, it becomes easier and easier for breaches to happen--even when it's an accident. More specifically, software-related HIPAA risks are one common stumbling block. When ePHI information is compromised, it can result in a costly fine.
Here's what you need to know about software-related HIPAA risks.

It’s unclear whether President Obama’s request for funding to combat HAIs will be met by Congress, but regardless of whether or not the funding comes from the federal government, hospitals will need to find the money somewhere to continue investing in HAI prevention, especially as it becomes more inextricably linked with reimbursement as we march forward this year.

A month into 2015 and it’s already become apparent that it’s going to be a big year for healthcare IT. In the aftermath of the Ebola Outbreak — which made several touchdowns on U.S. soil— there has been an intense focus on how electronic medical records can prevent similar events from happening in the future.
EMRs have consistently been tapped as hospitals work to avoid sentinel events (sometimes called “never-events” as in, they should never happen) and the prevention of an outbreak certainly qualifies as such.

Five years into the Affordable Care Act, the healthcare climate of the United States has continued to evolve and improve. While there are some long term changes required that have just begun to take shape, many changes brought about by the ACA are immediate gratification. Changes to Medicare and Medicaid have helped many Americans gain coverage that they previously wouldn’t have had access to. While the system is imperfect, there’s plenty of positivity to consider since it launched in 2010.

In the light of the first-ever confirmed Ebola case in the United States, questions of procedure and preparedness are humming throughout all fifty states. The patient, a Liberian man who had left Africa and arrived in Texas before symptoms began, has become the center of media attention this week. So to, has the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital become something of a media darling - in so far as they are being heavily scrutinized.

"BHM provides consultation and direct clinical oversight to East Carolina Behavioral Health as a delegated authority for clinical peer review and physician services. We have been extremely satisfied, and value the organization’s depth and breadth of knowledge. BHM continues to exceed our expectations."

Cindy Ehlers,
V P Clinical Operations, Trillium (formerly ECBH)

"6 of the top 10 largest health plans* entrust BHM for behavioral health peer reviews.